The Ultimate Organizer invention relates to "handbags," "shoulder bags" or "bags" for carrying a multitude of personal or other items. Handbags and their use have been well known in the prior art. Handbags have had hand straps, shoulder straps and/or back straps. They have generally been large enclosures, sometimes with separated spaces, sometimes not, sometimes with defined compartments, oftentimes not.
The following described bags are exemplary of the prior art, but are distinguishable from the invention disclosed herein as noted in the description below. U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,502: This '502 handbag comes closest in concept to the inventive Ultimate Organizer, but does not begin to provide its functions. First, the contents of this prior art '502 handbag cannot be accessed while the bag is being worn by a user. Because it opens in half, it must be placed on a surface and laid flat to provide content access. While the user is wearing the herein described invention, the Ultimate Organizer, in a vertical position, all contents of the bag can be accessed without placing the bag on a flat surface. In addition, the Ultimate Organizer has compartments which can accommodate a pad, pen, credit cards, cell phone, pager, cosmetics and/or other items. The prior art '502 handbag does not have such compartments. Further, the '502 bag's change purse can only be accessed after the bag is placed on a flat surface, the bag is almost fully unzipped, the inner purse is further unzipped or the compartment is opened, and the user gropes for change inside either the zippered purse or the compartments located on the inner walls. The same holds true for locating a key or keys. The Ultimate Organizer, however, allows the user with one motion to easily and quickly access change without unzipping the bag or its compartments or lying the bag flat. The change can be accessed while the bag is worn in a vertical position (therefore requiring no surface to lay the bag on), and the same ease of access is true for locating keys.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,466,208: This prior art describes an apron bag. First, the '208 apron bag must be worn around the waist. Unlike the Ultimate Organizer, it cannot be used on the back of a user, moved under either arm of a user or be worn over or across the shoulder. The '208 apron bag only has two outside panels with no additional depth of pouches, unlike the Ultimate Organizer. The '208 apron bag opens in a 180-degree arc. In order to keep the bag from flopping closed while the user is walking, the '208 patent recommends "strapping it to the user's leg!" This is impractical. On the other hand, the Ultimate Organizer has an interior flap which automatically flips up or down to accommodate the zipping or unzipping of the outer walls and enables the user to wear the bag under or over the arm without having to "strap it" to a body part. The Ultimate Organizer can also remain in a vertical position and does not have to be laid flat to access the items stored in its compartments. The '208 apron bag has essentially two walls and no further interior compartments, while the Ultimate Organizer has two sections with further compartments which make accessibility easier while the user is sitting or standing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,275: This prior art "handbag" is a top opening handbag with essentially one interior compartment and some exterior attachments, such as a watch and change purse. This '275 "handbag" cannot be worn on the back and cannot be swiveled under either arm. It requires a user to pull out the change purse, open the change purse, and then locate the change. The Ultimate Organizer, while it is worn under either the left or the right arm, enables the user to access change without pulling out a change purse from the bag and without taking the bag off the shoulder. The user simply reaches into the change pouch located near the top of the two interior walls where they meet with a non-zipped side wall and accesses the change with one motion. The same is true for the attached stretch key ring holder. Further, because the Ultimate Organizer has three interior chambers, only one of which is the zipped outer chamber with compartments, it will store more items which can be accessed readily from the top of or unzipped side of the bag as a result of such compartmentalization.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,631,632: The '632 prior art travel kit cannot be worn on the back and swiveled under the right or left arm or be worn across the shoulder. It must be laid on a surface to access the items in its compartments, unlike the Ultimate Organizer, which can be worn without interfering with the unzipping of the outer wall which contains personalized compartments. Further, the Ultimate Organizer has two chambers in addition to the zipped chamber containing the compartments and has a flap connecting the outer zipped wall to an interior wall so that compartmentalized items can be accessed from the top or side of the bag after the bag is unzipped.
U.S. Pat. No. 380,416: This reference features a handbag with a one-piece strap that requires the user to remove the bag and place it on a surface before the user can gain access to the items contained therein from the top of the bag. The '416 handbag cannot be worn on the back and swiveled under the left or right arm and worn while obtaining access to items inside the bag. Further, the '416 handbag has multiple openings accessed from the top, but does not have personalized compartments to keep needed items in place or accessed immediately through the unzipped side or top of the bag. It also does not have the sewn-in one motion accessible change purse or key chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,413,465: This prior art "Handbag" requires that the user remove his arm from under the bag and place it on a flat surface to access the items in the compartments. The Ultimate Organizer, however, can be worn on the back and swiveled under the left or right arm or slung over or across the shoulder. The Ultimate Organizer enables the user to wear the bag without interfering with the side unzipping of the bag which permits easy access to needed items in the personalized compartments.